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Bloomfield Office
Three Regency Drive
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: (860) 242-2221
Fax: (860) 286-0185New Haven Office
1164 Townsend Avenue
2nd Floor
New Haven, CT 06512
Phone: (203) 468-4770
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25 YEARS OF SERVICE: BLOOMFIELD LAW FIRM’S SUCCESS SUPPORTS POWER OF ‘RELATIONSHIP MARKETING’ 10-03-2006 In this age where consumer loyalty lasts only until a flashy newcomer comes along, it’s not every business that can boast of keeping clients for three generations. The success of Bloomfield law firm Clayman, Tapper & Baram, LLC, which is marking its 25th anniversary this year, is testimony to the power of what new-age marketers would call “relationship marketing”. But founding Partner Martin Clayman says it’s simply about “making our clients our friends.” “We get to know our clients as people. We like to think of it as growing the fibers that bind us together,” explains Clayman, a business and franchise law expert. He and the firm’s other five partners have many long-term clients in the practice, which serves both individuals and businesses. Some of these clients now span into the second or third generation, including Frankie’s, a fast food franchise best known for its extra long hot-dogs; Epstein Brothers carpet and flooring store in West Hartford; and Pooh’s Corner childcare center in Avon. Partner and former Bloomfield mayor David Baram agrees. “The personality of our firm is such that we really value our long-term relationships. Much of our growth has come from existing clients, which makes client retention our most important asset.” The firm uses, and takes seriously, a periodic satisfaction survey. “We sit down and discuss any concerns or problems that come to our attention through this survey, although we are fortunate that there is very little negative feedback,” says Baram. In addition, the firm’s six partners and two associate attorneys make it a practice to refer business to their clients when the opportunity arises. “We’re all business people. If we can help our clients grow, it helps everyone succeed, “ he adds. Although Clayman, Tapper & Baram is not a large firm, they have built the practice on a diverse mix of concentrations, which tends to foster client retention. “We define ourselves as a boutique firm,” says Baram, “because we are a full-service firm but with additional expertise not typically found in smaller law firms. For example, we are well known for our work in immigration and nationality law and intellectual property and patents.” The immigration law concentration is a good example of a niche market in which the firm has established a long-time presence. The practice has represented World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly the World Wrestling Federation) for over a decade. The work consists of dealing with all the legalities involved in obtaining work visas for WWE athletes arriving from Canada, Mexico, Japan and other countries, says partner Jason Gans, former Chief Legal Officer, former Chief of the Nationality Section, and former General Attorney for the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in Hartford. “Since we began working with WWE in 1990, we’ve helped more than 200 male and female wrestlers come to the US to perform. It has been a lot of fun working with them over the years.” The firm’s diverse business practice also has strengths in employment, municipal and land use law and its personal practice offers concentrations in elder law, trusts and estates, personal injury, real estate and divorce and family law. Clayman says this kind of diversity in their practice areas is the result of a strategic direction. “We purposely cultivated a variety of concentrated practice areas to help balance the changes of the economic environment,” he says. “Even if the market is down in one area, we have always made up for it in another practice area.“ Client longevity is also a function of cultivating trust. The firm’s clients often rely on their attorneys to handle everything from their estate plans to their new franchise purchases to their divorces, says Baram. “Ours is a relationship built on trust, reliability and responsiveness.” Being responsive to a client’s needs is about meeting them halfway, according to Clayman. “We try to solve their problems and this means finding a ‘yes’ answer for clients so that they can accomplish what they want. Sometimes this means doing some research to find another approach.” So where do the attorneys of Clayman, Tapper & Baram expect the firm to be when they celebrate their next significant milestone – three decades? “The way that we do business has really worked well for us so I forecast continued steady growth based on our long-term relationships with clients and the community,” says Clayman. “Good service never goes out of style.” Clayman, Tapper & Baram, LLC serves both the personal and business needs of its clients. While representing clients located primarily in Hartford County and the State of Connecticut, the firm also serves the needs of Global Fortune 500 Companies with regional and national offices. The firm's diverse clientele includes individuals as well as business entities such as limited liability companies, corporations, partnerships, closely held businesses, lending institutions and national title insurance companies, religious and other not-for-profit organizations. The firm represents its clients in both State and Federal courts and before administrative agencies. Founded in 1981, the firm is located at 3 Regency Drive in Bloomfield. They can be reached at 860-242-2221 and at www.ctattys.comFor more information, please contact Attorney Francis "Bud" Farrelly.
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